The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-13

member the cries of battle and the sound
OF shot and shell. as they sped on their ell
RAJ OF death. He put his hand to his
head and thought it strange that no blood
came off with it. He asked his companions
who had taken him prisoner; who had won
the fight, and how it was done They only
looked upon him with charitable commits
GRAFTON, and assured him that he would
soon be all right. This seemed stranger
still, and he
THOUGHT THEM ALL LUNATICS.
Finally Capt Burlington, who was on
board the Polaris, and who had been in
formed of the carpenters strange actions,
sent for him.
Imagine Lieut. Coffins surprise when, on
opening the door of the hut to follow the
guidance of the man who delivered Capt.
Budlnetons message, he saw (literally) for
the first time the towering mountains of ice
and the miles upon miles of perpetual
snow.
This, indeed, was strange 1t seemed but
few moments since he was inhaling the
fragrant, fiower-Scented air of old Virginia
and saw the green raiment of summer on
every hand. Now all was changed, and
he could not understand it. Had the bullet
Killed him, and was this part of the other
world! 1t certainly reminded him of a
scene from Dante's Inferno vet. he
seemed the same flesh and blood as he was
before being stricken down by the death
dealing bullet.
He looked and wondered, and the heaven
kissing peaks of snow and ice returned his
gaze i'll solemn silence.
Arriving before Capt. Burlington that
gentleman said: "Well, carpenter, they tell
me you are little off; how is it!"
ITO tell you the truth, Captain, Pm be-
ginning to think so myself" replied Lieut.
Coffin. II was wounded about five minutes
ago right here on my -"
That's all right, Coffin; that's all right
you just go and turn in and get good sleep;
perhaps that will do you good" And so he
left the Captain with his head full of strange
thoughts
1t was useless for him to try to explain
anything to his messmates, for they all
thought him daft, and when he began to
tell how he was wounded, the rest of the
men exchanged sly winks, and tapped their
heads knowingly.
1t was not till after Lieut.. Coffin had read
the entries made in his notebook for many
years back that it began to dawn upon him
that he had lived for years in dreamland.
He ceased trying to explain things to the
ships crew, and after while the affair was
forgotten.
After many weary months waiting for
the spring, Lieut.. Coffin, with the assistance
of First Engineer j. w. Booth and the chief
mate, constructed two boats, by which they
finally made their way under many dangers
to the northern point of Melville bay, about
twenty miles below Cape York, where they
were finally rescued by a whaler.
When Lieut. Coffin returned to this coun-
try he went before the board of medical ex-
aniners. The old wound on his head was
found. He applied for pension and by a
special act of the Forty eighth Congress it
National Home, but firing of life of in
activity, he purchased sloop and now
makes his home aboard of her He is as
proud of his boat as Gen Paine is of the
Volunteer and on any fine day passer-by
on Water street may see him sitting near
the helm enjoying the luxuries of an after
noon smoke or fixing something about his
much loved sloop.